My box set arrived yesterday...it is so cool...and for the secret compartment, if you want to know what's in it or where it is at, then ordere it...I was rather surprised what was in it, but I thought I broke my box when I opened it too...

Anyway, the box set is great....when are more discs available? And I have yet to see any picture that looks anything like it

Junebughunter wrote:My box set arrived yesterday...it is so cool...and for the secret compartment, if you want to know what's in it or where it is at, then ordere it...I was rather surprised what was in it, but I thought I broke my box when I opened it too...

WHAT THE HELL IS THE SECRET COMPARTMENT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I WANT TO KNOW, I'VE GOT MINE AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I hate to say it, but so far, I'm a bit disappointed with the Box Set.

Impossible to order?

When you launched the Box Set sale, you stated that it would be "nearly impossible" to order it anywhere else. Well, now I could have ordered it via my local record store, in fact a lot cheaper than it became with the shipping and tax/customs fee to Sweden. This really bugs me!

I really thought it would be more "special" than it really is.

What I mean is that, other than the secret disc + the Zappa & Alcatrazz discs, everything is/will be available separately/outside the box. Of course, that is a good way of making money off none diehard fans, but for us diehards it's not that funny.

I believe it was a not-so-good decision to release it CD by CD.

For us international buyers/fans, the Box Set will be very expensive, paying tax+shipping for each and every CD/release. Personally, I could have waited a while longer for the whole thing to be released instead.

hint: Unscrew the screws on the bottom and take the bottom piece off...

You call that a "hint"???????Man, you're just like my wife...telling you how the movie ends before you've even seen it!No fun.........

You have got to be kidding me! I rec'd my box set when they 1st came out and didn't even have a clue about a secret compartment! I'm gonna have to fake an illness at work and go home and dissasemble it!

I hate to say it, but so far, I'm a bit disappointed with the Box Set.

I personally do not understand how anyone can complain about the box set.
It was clearly exlpained before it's release that it would come with 3 CD's, and that the remainder would be released over several years.
It had nothing to do with making more money.
Quite the opposite.
To make it in one shot, would have cost so much money, that most fans probably would not have been able to afford it.
It seems to me that making it available in pieces makes it more affordable for the masses. It may add up to alot in the end, but I rather pay $30-40 every other year for the additional CD's, than $500 in one shot.
As for the music contained in the box set, once again no reason to be disappointed.
Track listings were posted in advance. Not necessarily fully accurate, but enough for someone to be able to decide if you want it or not.

It seems to me that most of the people complaining are the ones that got in on the 2nd round of the release.
These must be all the people that bought it after the first round buyers raved about the amazing "Secret Jewel Box".
So they bought it not because they really wanted to (they would have done so on the first day of release...), but because maybe "they should".
I'm very happy with it, and I'm looking forward to all the releases.
I don't understand all the logistics of it, but if it turns out anything like originally intended, it will be awesome.
So, happy listening, y'all!

RiffGod, Thanks for your note. Perhaps a few things may help better your understanding of why the box set was/is being released the way it is. Let me address your thoughts point-by-point:

RiffGod wrote:I hate to say it, but so far, I'm a bit disappointed with the Box Set.

Impossible to order?

When you launched the Box Set sale, you stated that it would be "nearly impossible" to order it anywhere else. Well, now I could have ordered it via my local record store, in fact a lot cheaper than it became with the shipping and tax/customs fee to Sweden. This really bugs me!

If you can buy it in a store in Sweden, it's because that store has gone to the Vai.com online store and bought it (perhaps in multiples). It's that simple. As for the shipping and customs tax, that sort of thing is simply beyond our control. We all have to pay taxes - even though doing so can be a pain in the ass (and not always cheap).

I really thought it would be more "special" than it really is.

What I mean is that, other than the secret disc + the Zappa & Alcatrazz discs, everything is/will be available separately/outside the box. Of course, that is a good way of making money off none diehard fans, but for us diehards it's not that funny.

I'm not sure what you mean by "everything else". There are still 7 discs to come. Some of those discs contain material that has appeared on various releases over many years. Most don't. Some of the tracks have been extremely hard for some fans to get their hands on. For example, the bonus tracks on Japanese releases. For Japanese fans, that might not be as much of a rarity, but for fans outside of Japan, getting all those tracks on one disc, means they don't have to purchase import Japanese discs for the bonus tracks only (a real saving!) Further, the next installments of the box set will include rare tracks that have been released on various demo/promo discs. Some of these are virtually impossible to find.

You state that the box set is just "a good way of making money off diehard fans". Firstly, this is incorrect, but moreover, you imply that it is somehow wrong that Steve release something that you might have to (or want to ) pay for? Nobody is being taken advantage of. You either want to buy it, or you dont

For the record, the box set is making very little (if any) money at all. It is a labor of love for Steve and something fans will appreciate. The licencing fees for much of this material can be very expensive.

I believe it was a not-so-good decision to release it CD by CD.

For us international buyers/fans, the Box Set will be very expensive, paying tax+shipping for each and every CD/release. Personally, I could have waited a while longer for the whole thing to be released instead.

Releasing all discs at once would have been cost prohibative for most fans everywhere (even more so considering international exchange rates!) The wait would have been a lot longer also.

I can understand your frustration, but I feel that perhaps some of your notions about the box set are incorrect. I also think that you are getting annoyed at the practicalities of purchasing an imported product - and sadly, those things are beyond most people's control.

As far as I've heard, the future box set cds will only be available through vai.com. Don't think you're getting screwed. Do you honestly think that Steve is out there to dig from the pockets of his fans? He had no control over the manufacturing, only over what it would look like and what would be inside. The music is there and it's great. You CAN get ELS outside of the boxed set, but you can't get the Zappa CD, the secret cd, or the Alcatrazz cd (well, you might be able to find that in certain places, but it's not widely available). Archives 3 and 4 are not being released for retail, again as far as I know, so they ARE special releases and you shouldn't feel gyped. Believe me, this is NOT a venture for profit for Steve. I'm sorry you feel so upset about the box set, but those were not his intentions.

RAI· Don't get me wrong. I truly know it wasn't/isn't Steve's intention to rip off/make money off his fans, diehard or not. But hey, "the masses", that's none diehard fans to me.
· I didn't say I am/will be disappointed with the music.
· I bought it in the 1st round release… · I'm also looking forward to the future releases, though it will cost a whole lot of money.

Moderator77FP· With "everything else", I meant the remaining CDs. Hopefully there will be other goodies as well! · Again, I do know Steve's not taking advantage of his fans. However, you did quote me incorrectly here, which is pity. I did NOT say "it's a good way of making money off diehard fans" I meant that it's kind of easy to believe (though it might be wrong) that releasing the CDs separately are for none diehards, as they really do not have to buy the Box now, do they?!
· Yeah, I'm a bit frustrated, that's true.

Anthony· NO, I do not honestly think that! · Speaking of ELS: howcome that ultra-cool cover didn't end up in the Box Set, but on the CDs sold separately? If you ask me, it should have been the other way around.
· I'm not that upset anymore…

Omg, I feel so stupid!!!! This is really hilarious. This beautiful box is standing in my house now for 1.5 years and I always thought that the surprise were the picks until I read here today that I had to take a better look at the screws at the bottom. First thing I did when I came home was unscrewing the bottom and there it was, sitting there for all this time! Thank you Steve, this was really a perfect joke and a cool surprise!
Henk, the Netherlands.

Still, there is one thing with the Box that puzzles me. Back then, in 2001, the SJB was announced as a limited edition of only 10,000 pieces so that I started worrying that I wouldn't be in time to get one. I checked out vai.com regularly and when the online sale started in December 2001, I immediateley ordered one. I was happy to be in time and my SJB was neatly delivered here in Europe. To my suprise, apparently the Box is still available right now. And I just thought that 10,000 was really a limited number with all these fans there all over the globe. So my question is: have the sales of the Box been so disappointing or are we die-hard fans a little "cheated" thinking we bought something unique while there were many more Boxes made in reality? Henk, the Netherlands.